The Catalyst
by Cloudmaiden Nephele
Summary: “Hey, Sakura-chan...I've been thinking...I asked ero-sennin about it, and he just said Orochimaru had always been like that..." -Naruto ... "It can't be random chance." -Sakura


**Disclaimer: I hold no claim to the characters of Naruto**

_AN: This drabble is a by-product of too little sleep, excess Naruto on the brain, an overactive imagination, and having nothing better to do than type up random thoughts. Enjoy!_

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**The Catalyst**

"Hey, Sakura-chan," Naruto said quietly, staring blankly into the rippling water before him as the two companions waited impatiently for their team leader to arrive.

"Yes?" the pink-haired girl responded as she lounged against the trunk of a tree and gazed at the clouds passing overhead, contemplating the various means by which she could pay back Kakashi for the tortuous period of delay before their mission.

"I've been thinking…"

"Don't strain yourself," Sakura quipped.

"Very funny. This has been bugging me for a while now, and I can't just figure it out."

"What is it?"

"It's about Orochimaru."

"Well, spit it out already!" Sakura demanded edgily as she turned her luminous green gaze to her perplexed friend.

"You know how he is always switching bodies, right?"

"Of course," the kunoichi hissed with a dangerous glint in her eyes as she imagined the evil Sannin who lured away their other teammate. "That's why we have to rescue Sasuke-kun."

"I noticed something odd about the bodies he always picks," the blond Jinchuuriki stated slowly. "They're all really young don't you think? I mean, they're hardly even grown up. Even the sound four were only teenagers. Why is that?"

Sakura started as she turned her thoughts inwards. "I don't know. It does seem kind of suspicious though. Wouldn't someone older who had come more fully into their powers be more beneficial to him?"

"That's what I was thinking. I asked ero-sennin about it, and he just said Orochimaru had always been that way. Wasn't really much of an answer if you ask me."

"It can't just be random chance," Sakura pondered aloud as she bit her lip. "There must be a reason for it, but what could it be?"

"Maybe he's a pedophile," Sai suggested blankly as he looked up from where he was sketching a short distance away. "That would also explain why he chose Sasuke and not the dickless wonder over there."

"What did you say!" Naruto exploded as he stood up and shook his fist menacingly at their newest teammate who just stared impassively at him in response. "I am not…"

"That's impossible!" Sakura interrupted the blonde's furious ranting in favor of glaring at the artist. "There is no way that is true! That's just…just…_disgusting_!"

"Eh, Sakura, what's a pedophile?" Naruto asked as the rest of what Sai said finally caught up with him.

"Unacceptable!" raged the petite woman as she clenched her black gloved fists. "That's what!"

"You really are stupid," Sai commented much to the blonde's chagrin.

"Come on Sakura-chan," Naruto whined, trying to get his fuming comrade's attention. "What does he mean?"

"It means that damn snake's interest in Sasuke is the same as Jiraiya-sama's reason for watching the women's baths," she snapped as she imagined her fist connecting with Orochimaru's head with sadistic pleasure.

"What?" Naruto exclaimed with confusion. "He's writing a book?"

"And I thought you couldn't get any stupider. A pedophile is a person who is sexually interested in children," Sai replied. "Sasuke in this case."

"There is no way we are letting that sick freak take advantage of Sasuke!" Naruto growled. "We're gonna bring him back this time!"

"That bastard," Sakura hissed. "He's going to pay dearly for…"

A poof of smoke interrupted the pink-haired kunoichi's tirade as Kakashi appeared on the scene with his trademark orange paperback in hand and his other hand raised in greeting. "Sorry I'm late. You see there was this…"

"Save it!" Sakura and Naruto shouted as Sai quietly packed up his art supplies in the background.

"We don't have any time to waste!" Naruto yelled as he threw on his pack. "We'll definitely succeed in bringing Sasuke back this time!"

"Let's go!" Sakura said forcefully as she leapt after the orange clad ninja who was already headed towards Konoha's gate, leaving a confused Kakashi and the detached Sai to follow behind.

_Fin_


End file.
